FIVE TRIES APIECE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16360, 7 June 1927, Page 3

FIVE TRIES APIECE

YESTERDAY’S RUGBY MATCH

EXPERIENCE TELES A TALI

POVERTY BAY AND THE SHIELD

HOLDERS,

Nothing - but (lie experience of their AR-Black players stood between the Wairarapa Rugby Union’s representatives and defeat yesterday, when they met the Poverty Bay iifteeu on the Oval. The Rani'urly Shield winners were not at their best, certainly, but had the home side been awake to the expedients they adopted, there can •be little doubt that Poverty Bay could to-day have celebrated a victory over the vanquishers of the hitherto redoubtable Hawke’s Bay side.

The home team was superior in the forwards, and was able to keep the visitors extremely busy, but they were not quick enough to perceive that by a simple stratagem Wairarapa had added a unit to their rearguard,, .which then outnumbered with, telling effect the back division of the Bay team. J Donald, nominally the vvingforwanl of of the shield team, simply dropped back into the five-eighth line as soon as the ball was put into the scrum, and when each of the Poverty Bay backs had been drawn, the visitors had one over, this additional member of the attacking- line being able to score the decisive tries.

The visitors gave a fine exhibition of football, played in a good sporting spirit, and were lucky to escape defeat. Their forwards did not include Q. Donald and I. Harvey, hooker and lock respectively, and these players were badly missed; but on the day it is doubtful if they would have accounted for the margin of superiority which the Poverty Bay forwards could boast. The home pack had a day out, and if the backs had been as strong as usual, even the presence of Cooke would not have caused any serious alarm.

It was a great game and the result, though counting a defeat for the Poverty Bay representatives, contained more of honor for the home players than many a victory has done in the past. Presuming that the Bay has to send a team to the Wairarapa to play for the Rani'urly Shield, it is unlikely lhat they will be regarded lightly by the Shield holders,, more especially if the challengers are reinforced in the back division. THE TURN OF THE GAME. The final score, 20 to 17 in favor of the visitors/ was announced in last night’s Herald, which also contained a full report upon the play. The final stages of the game were keenly exciting, for the Wairarapa team treated the crowd to a, great rally, and by working their backs from every scrum gained two sterling tries, one of them being converted, thus Poverty Bay was robbed of a victory which had seemed certain, and for their defeat they have to thank J. Donald and Cooke, who won through the -centre repeatedly, and made the openings for the last two scores. A gratifying feature of the game was the realisation, on the part of the spectators, that Ihe Bay can boast as good forwards as there are in most districts, and that Irvine and Donald (regarding the latter as a forward solely), clo not stand head and shoulders above the local material. It was only the 'experience and tactics of the visitors which enabled them to tight, off defeat when it stated them in the face,, and no matter what the outcome of the forthcoming challenge match for the Ranfurly Shield, it is safe to say that the same tactics will not duplicate their success again. Auckland showed Poverty Bay one or two stratagems when they visited Gisborne two seasons ago, and last year they tried them again when the Bay representatives returned their visit but there were no market for the northerners’ “pups.” When Poverty Bay sends its team south in quest of the Rugby premiership, they will be less liable to be taken in l\y tactics than they were yesterday, and for this reason' alone the Poverty Bay Rugby Union has to congratulate itself upon securing the visit of Wairarapa, It was impossible not to admire the smoothness with which the visiting wing forward worked his position, and givingup all pretence to the customary tactics of Hie rover, dropped back as the ball came out of the scrum to his half, standing ready to take a quick pass and draw the opposing fives before transferring to the brilliant Cooke. Many spectators were puzzled to note, the reluctance ot the Bay backs to tackle solidly towards the finish of the game, but it was obvious that if Wairarapa could draw their tackles, and absorb their attention man for man, there would still be one man over on the attacking side to run round the end. In an unorthodox situation, the Bay rearguad adapted itself as well as possible, and at least succeeded in crowding the attackers to one side or another at times, bluffing them into false passes at others, and generally limiting the effect of the new strategy. The fault was not with the backs, for if the wing-forward had taken his place opposite Donald, there would not have been the noticeable surplus of attackers, as compared with the defenders. There were other schemes which the Wairarapa men worked, but which are hardly likely to catch Poverty Bay napping again, one, being the swinging of an attack on the pivot provided by the versatile Cooke. The spectators groaned at times in the realisation that a shift of the play had found the home hacks out of position, and the more experienced observers could .readily have put their lingers upon the cause. When Donald and his first five-eighth, towards the end of the game, got the ball and headed for the line, they did not take the. straight course which is always considered to ho the shorterest course. Instead, they swung towards their left wing, and by a feint there drew the defenders across before they opened up the game in flic other direction. Uundy and String-fel-low were well drilled in their parts, and every change of direction would find! them in support, prepared to take a pass and streak for the goal. area. Repeatedly this pivotal attack took the crefen-

(levs unaware, and I hose- surprises were their undoing. AFFLICTED WITH NERVES.

Tlie home side was highly nervous ffi the early stages, and iri a. short time was faced with a deficit ol 12 points. That the Poverty Bay team should ha ve pulled ilself together and not only wiped out fins deficit, but, furllionnore, secured a. lead of five points over the vanquishers of Hawke’s Bay, speaks worlds for their pluck and tenacity. The backs were fo blame lor tlie early reverses, and it was noticeable that after halftime, when a. change was made in the formation, they operated much more, successfully, this having'the effect of giving the forwards more confidence.

l'ow men could have done more in the circumstances Ulan did Langlands. and (hough he did not shine as brightly as usual, lie got. through an enormous amount of work, and broke up a. lot of attacks which threatened serious trouble. When the attacks passed him, however, especially on the right wing, they took a lot of pulling up. and the five tries scored by the visitors were all made from rearguard movements. Had the .Poverty Bay half given his straight-run-ning and fleet, backs more opportunities m the second half, they might have retaliated in kind, but they were not. called on to do much attacking, most oh the work of the. hall being done on the blind side oi the scrum. Smith was seldom caught with the hall, but the fact that he stereotyped his methods to such a degree made the work of the Wairarapa men easy. Waiters and Harrison botli played fine defensive games, Walters’ tackling being superb at most times, and Harrison shining most with hit; faultless taking of the ball and excellent linek lefcing. For the Poverty Bay forwards, the visitors themselves could not say enough after the game. C arrington and Thomas were the outstanding players m this division, and though the opposition included some big men, there was not one among them to compare with this pair for all-round work, and especially in speed under a high punt. It- will he hard to displace any of the Bay pack, however, for every man played up to his best form, and time after time they romped through their opponents’ ranks with dribbling rushes that had the defence badly worried. So long as the home side kept the ball on the ground they continued to have success, and in quick succession they carried the play to the Wairarapa line five separate times. Morrison locked the scrum excellently, and the hookers were not- by any means out-classed by the All Black opposite them; while the whole pack developed remarkable speed in breaking, up after the serums, and in packing down in the line-outs. Dribbling such as. the Poverty Bay men carried out has not, been seen here for a- long- time, •and it is a reasonable assumption that when the Wairarapa men go into training to meet Poverty Bay again they will concentrate, upon rush-stopping. One point, in which the home pack’s play could be materially improved is in getting the hall clear of the scrum, once it has been hooked, for many times ihe hookers’ successes counted for nothing for the reason that the ball hung among the feet of the rear ranks. ' Strategy remained the rock upon which Poverty Bay’s hopes of victory wove shattered, however, and' the spectators were well aware that it is by games such as yesterday’s that teams are taught, to meet strategy wil.li coun-ter-strategy. The gaihe was an education to players and spectators alike, and should enable the district representatives to make an even more formidable display when next they meet the best of Rugby company. Poverty Bay has grown out- of swaddling clothes, so far as Rugby is concerned, and is learning the lessons that come to all enterprising youngsters. The district will yet. turn out a. team capable of extending the premiers, even when the latter are at their best. , SATURDAY’S NAPIER GAME . MAGPIES RE-ORGANISED. (Special to the Herald.) NAPIER, this day. The Hawke’s Bay s team selected to meet Poverty Bay in the friendly match arranged for Saturday differs considerably* in make-up from that which last week suffered defeat at the hands of Wairarapa. The changes are mainly confined to the'backs, and it is evident that the Hawke’s Bay selector is taking the opportunity presented by the Poverty Bay match to try out some new combinations. Though last week’s game was a gi-inr and exciting straggle, i;. was considered that the Hawke’s Bay backs would have to be improved greatly if the side, was to regain its former standing, and this consideration has weighed with the selector apparently in his choice of the fifteen to oppose Poverty Bay. It Avill be noticed that H. Priestly, and ex-Gisborne threequarter, is being tried on the wing, and that other changes have been made. Some of these changes are due to injuries, of course, but the changes ‘ in the pack look more like an attempt 'to secure a greater degree of speed- among the'forwards. Hawke’s Bay’s representatives to meet Poverty Bay on Saturday comprise the following:— N, Neal H. Priestley,. J. Blake, Carlson McDonald , and T. Cork ill Anstis M. Brownlie S. Gomrnell and Single C. Campbell and C. Brownlie Conrad J., Gemmell and J. Swain.